This article was published in the June 2017 edition of NTEA News.
Mid-Size Bus Manufacturers Association (MSBMA) was founded in 1993 to enhance professionalism, safety and product quality in the mid-size bus industry. The group describes mid-size buses as passenger-carrying motor coaches, built on a cutaway or rail chassis or monocoque construction. They are less than 40 feet long, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 33,000 pounds (Class 7) or less. MSBMA members include bus manufacturers and other supporting companies such as component, system and service suppliers.
Some mid-size buses are purchased with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant money. To qualify for funding, companies must ensure their bus models have undergone the New Model Bus Testing Program — known as Altoona testing, as the evaluation site is in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
As customers receiving FTA funds must prove purchased buses have undergone testing, they rely on manufacturers to provide proper verification. Under the MAP-21 Act, Altoona tests include new pass/fail criteria, designed to ensure a minimum performance level.
In its meetings, MSBMA benefits from participation of key FTA and test facility representatives, as this enables the group to offer program improvement suggestions. FTA published a proposed rulemaking to outline pass/fail criteria, along with details on the scoring system.
MSBMA is monitoring other recommended changes to federal requirements that may affects its members, including modifications to Buy America, which would shift domestic content manufacturing mandates above the current 60 percent.
Additional federal-level developments of interest to MSBMA members involve ongoing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulatory developments resulting from National Transportation Safety Board reports on motor coach crashes. NHTSA increased requirements related to seat belts and is coordinating other bus safety measures for roof crush, braking and fire suppression with FMCSA.
The group is actively developing relationships with liaisons from various chassis manufacturers linked to the mid-size bus industry. During meetings, routine discussion points include all aspects of upfitting, promoting and distributing buses built on various chassis. OEM participation plays a key role in these conversations.
Ongoing activities comprise representing member interests through the BusCon Advisory Board and raising customer awareness about MSBMA.
To learn more, visit ntea.com/msbma or contact Steve Spata, NTEA technical assistance director, at 248-479-8147 or steves@ntea.com.